Students demonstrate an understanding of matter and energy flow in an ecosystem by …
4a diagramming the energy flow in an ecosystem that compares the energy at different trophic levels.(e.g. What inferences can you make about energy “loss”& use?).
Context of Lesson:
Within this lesson, students will be introduced to the concept of a food chain. concepts such as primary producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer, quaternary consumer, as well as trophic level will be incorporated within the lesson. Methods for introducing this material will be with an anticipation guide to stimulate their prior knowledge, notes from a slide show presentation, as well as a congo line activity to assess students comprehension of the new material.
Materials:
Appropriate number of copies for all handouts, Elmo or Transparency projector, markers/chalk, congo line activity questions.
Students will be able to... 1.Develop knowledge about Food Chains within Ecosystems. 2.Develop knowledge about Trophic Level structure within Food Chains.
Instruction:
Opening:
Opening- Students will complete an admit activity based on an anticipation guide pertaining to food chains within an ecosystem. Individually on their anticipation guides students will explain in their own words what they think the meaning of the word food chain truly means. Also within the anticipation guide they will use the word food chain in a sentence, as well as draw a sample food chain. I will announce to the class, “Once everyone has finished their anticipation guides, put your pens and pencils down and look up to the front of the classroom so I know when you are completed with the activity.” Once all students are finished, as a class we will go over the anticipation guide aloud. Students will volunteer to share their answers on a sample anticipation guide under the Elmo or Transparency projector. After students have shared their responses to the questions, I will supply them with the correct definition of a food chain that can be found within an ecosystem. Students can hold onto their anticipation guides and use it as a study resource for their upcoming ecology exam. After the anticipation guide is reviewed, I will pose the questions: “Has anyone ever heard of the expression of ‘moving up the food chain’ ?“, “What does moving up the food chain mean to an organism within an ecosystem?”, “What makes an organism higher on a food chain than other organisms?”. Transition the conversation to the different components of a food chain.
Instruction:
Instruction- Students will take notes from the slide show provided on all the components that make up a food chain. Within the notes, there will be two examples of food chains. One example will focus on an example of a terrestrial food chain, and another will focus on a marine food chain. Key concepts such as trophic level, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, as well as quaternary consumers will be introduced.
Activity- Students will participate in a Congo Line questionnaire activity based on their new knowledge of food chains. The class will be divided into two groups. A simple count off will be utilized to group all of the students. Group one will be standing across from group two, forming parallel lines. Students will be quizzing each other on the content covered in class by asking questions their peers across from them. Cards with questions and answers will be provided to every other student in each of the lines. As students are listening to the questions being asked and the answers be given, they will be learning from the responses of their classmates. I will be facilitating the activity and making sure all students are focused on the task at hand. If a student needs some assistance on a question, they will be able to be guided by one of their classmates. At the conclusion of the activity I will collect all note cards that were used for the congo line questionnaire. This activity will take place at the front of the classroom where there is sufficient space for the two parallel lines.
Closure :
To review the objectives of the class period, I will pose questions to the students such as, “Why are food chain important to ecosystems?”, as well as “What are the most important trophic levels within a food chain?” Before students leave for the class period, they will receive their grades for the organism presentations they performed the previous class period.
Assessment:
Informally asses students throughout the class period with their participation and understanding of the admit activity, their responses to questions posed during the food chain notes, as well as their participation and understanding of the content material during the congo line questionnaire activity.
Lesson Title: Food Chains
State Standards: GLEs/GSEs
Students demonstrate an understanding of matter and energy flow in an ecosystem by …
4a diagramming the energy flow in an ecosystem that compares the energy at different trophic levels.(e.g. What inferences can you make about energy “loss”& use?).Context of Lesson:
Within this lesson, students will be introduced to the concept of a food chain. concepts such as primary producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer, quaternary consumer, as well as trophic level will be incorporated within the lesson. Methods for introducing this material will be with an anticipation guide to stimulate their prior knowledge, notes from a slide show presentation, as well as a congo line activity to assess students comprehension of the new material.Materials:
Appropriate number of copies for all handouts, Elmo or Transparency projector, markers/chalk, congo line activity questions.
Objectives:
Students will be able to...1.Develop knowledge about Food Chains within Ecosystems.
2.Develop knowledge about Trophic Level structure within Food Chains.
Instruction:
Opening:
Opening- Students will complete an admit activity based on an anticipation guide pertaining to food chains within an ecosystem. Individually on their anticipation guides students will explain in their own words what they think the meaning of the word food chain truly means. Also within the anticipation guide they will use the word food chain in a sentence, as well as draw a sample food chain. I will announce to the class, “Once everyone has finished their anticipation guides, put your pens and pencils down and look up to the front of the classroom so I know when you are completed with the activity.” Once all students are finished, as a class we will go over the anticipation guide aloud. Students will volunteer to share their answers on a sample anticipation guide under the Elmo or Transparency projector. After students have shared their responses to the questions, I will supply them with the correct definition of a food chain that can be found within an ecosystem. Students can hold onto their anticipation guides and use it as a study resource for their upcoming ecology exam. After the anticipation guide is reviewed, I will pose the questions: “Has anyone ever heard of the expression of ‘moving up the food chain’ ?“, “What does moving up the food chain mean to an organism within an ecosystem?”, “What makes an organism higher on a food chain than other organisms?”. Transition the conversation to the different components of a food chain.
Instruction:
Instruction- Students will take notes from the slide show provided on all the components that make up a food chain. Within the notes, there will be two examples of food chains. One example will focus on an example of a terrestrial food chain, and another will focus on a marine food chain. Key concepts such as trophic level, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, as well as quaternary consumers will be introduced.
Activity- Students will participate in a Congo Line questionnaire activity based on their new knowledge of food chains. The class will be divided into two groups. A simple count off will be utilized to group all of the students. Group one will be standing across from group two, forming parallel lines. Students will be quizzing each other on the content covered in class by asking questions their peers across from them. Cards with questions and answers will be provided to every other student in each of the lines. As students are listening to the questions being asked and the answers be given, they will be learning from the responses of their classmates. I will be facilitating the activity and making sure all students are focused on the task at hand. If a student needs some assistance on a question, they will be able to be guided by one of their classmates. At the conclusion of the activity I will collect all note cards that were used for the congo line questionnaire. This activity will take place at the front of the classroom where there is sufficient space for the two parallel lines.
Closure :
To review the objectives of the class period, I will pose questions to the students such as, “Why are food chain important to ecosystems?”, as well as “What are the most important trophic levels within a food chain?” Before students leave for the class period, they will receive their grades for the organism presentations they performed the previous class period.
Assessment:
Informally asses students throughout the class period with their participation and understanding of the admit activity, their responses to questions posed during the food chain notes, as well as their participation and understanding of the content material during the congo line questionnaire activity.